Wichita eagle., 1887-07-21
SCOTLAND'S SUNDAY.
THE EDINBURGH SABBATH COM
MENCES ON SATURDAY NIGHT.
Everybody in Best Bib and Tucker
Churchward Bound-Ree1inS OF Scrip
lures by the Yard-StflIness of the
Streets-The Churches.

lures by the Yard-stillness of the
Streets.The Churches.
One must come from the north into Edin-
hurgh, either by Fife or Stirling. Come by
Stirling by all means, for there is no castle IN
Europe that sits so proudly on its great rock
as beautiful Stirling. But as you love your
ease never go into the Scotch capital on
Sunday. Nowhere in all the world does re-
ligion cramp its devotees with 50 tight e fit as
in Scotland. Perhaps the japanese and the
negroes are the only people who really enjoy
their religion. In Germany no one seems to
have any. In France, Spain and Italy they
pray in the morning for fear Of he'll fire, and
dance in the afternoon with Joy because their
duty is done. In England, they pray because
their forefathers prayed and because 1t Is one
Of the customs Of the country; then they pass
the rest of the day az pleasantly as they can
without giving bad example to the lower
orders. In America-well, in America it can
not be said that religion is allowed to inter-
fere seriously with the comfort Of any ones
Sunday, and therefore to an American the
full fedgei, divinity hedged Scotch Sabbath
is something Of curiosity.
The Sabbath had already commenced on
the Saturday night, as we drove past the
great shining hostelries on Princes street to
coy little hotel on st. Andrews square. A
busting landlady and three buxom maids
met us in the little vestibule, where a great
bowl OF the little, white, frosty narcissus made
the air sweet and fresh.
THE ONLY FRIvoLITT.
Every one-man, woman and child-seems
to love the little white flower, and to wear it
as familiarly as they wear the buttons on
their coats. But this was the only frivolity
that could be seen in Edinburgh on this holy
Saturday evening. For the Sabbath had al
ready begun with preparation and prayer,
and there was even stiffness in the streets
such as is unwonted on Saturday night in
less holy communities
Either the busting landlady or one Of the
buxom maids left little notice on the toilet
table to the effect that services took place on
Sunday in the morning from II to /, in the
afternoon from 2:15 to 4, and in the evening
from $50 to s, and in some more devout chap
els from to $50. The great keeper Of items
will remember on the last day which one we
chose. When we came into the bright, wide,
clean streets next morning, all Edinburgh
was there in its best bib and tucker, church
ward bound. The curious part of it to an
church just as scrupulously as the women, for
at home religion is for women alone.
There never was Scotchman yet, from
Donce David Deans forward or back, who
could not reel OFF the Scriptures by the yard,
and the flavor 1T gives their conversation
makes it rich and strong They looked to be
a dogmatic and thoroughly convinced set of
men as they plodded along through the Sab
kokl Is ola
themselves as they went for prayers. Mothers,
wives and sisters were disposed to relax
little of their usual Sunday severity-for
there were whole aocks of lads, from IA to IS
years, who looked queerly enough in their
short roundabout jackets, tall shiny hats and
big white collars, in the groups. We heard
that it was vacation time in the big public
schools of Great Britain, and these would be
merry lads were home for their holiday.
Solemn little men they looked to be, with
something family suggestive of Charles
Dickens boys in their mannish clothes, but
they became common sights enough as we
wandered farther south, and the utility coat
of the American youth began to seem old
fashioned instead.
STIFFNESS OF THE STREETS.
The curious stiffness of the streets finally
began to explain itself, for every horse in
Edinburgh was having his Sabbath in his
comfortable stall, and not wheel rolled in
the great, clean, billy streets Even the
tramways were silent and deserted-no one
hears of street car from the time they leave
New York till they get back again-and
every one who wanted to 60 to church went
on foot.
There are plenty Of churches for them
ALL though the traveller cares for little else in
that line than historic st. Giles, whose sharp
steeple doomed temptingly at us through the
mild haze that hung over the classic city only
to make it more beautiful.
We did find goddess young fellow stand
ing by hanson cab, down in Princes street,
that beautiful terrace thoroughfare which is
the pride of auld Reekie, and we did rattle
along in it through discomfort for mile or
two, with the vain hope of seeing some sights
and not losing an entire day. But we soon
perceived by the amazed faces of the multi
tude who arrested themselves and gazed in
stony horror at the mere sight of us, that we
were really shocking their honest pre- JUDGES
So we alighted, much discounted and hui
INFLATED. We gave the cabman sound rating
first, for driving his cab on a Sunday and
breaking the Sabbath himself, and then for
permitting Us, who were strangers to the
country, to break it over again.
But the cabby refused to feel badly; pro-
claimed himself English born, with no care
for Scotch nonsense, and for his part had
never seen any American who knew when
Sunday anne. This gratuitious reflection on
the entir nation we passed coldly, and pro-
ceeded 10 do little sight seeing on foot
There IS Il long dip, ike the swing of ham,
mock, between the great castle on its impreg-
nable hill ut the one end, and the towers and
monuments and column of the Cation hill on
the other Betsy B. in San Francisco Argo- |
nsnt
successful Modern Plays.
No man to-day shows his love or his hate: !
he neither toasts his mistress at the @Kit-Cat !
club nor shoots his rival in Lincoln's Inn |
field. If he believes in anything, that is the |
one thing of which society forbids him to !
speak; if he regrets anything, be must assume !
If be wants anything, be must |
walk in the opposite direction to that in which |
it may apparently be obtained What scope !
does behavior of this sort afford for dramatic |
How are the materials of |
great play to be found in this concealment of |
feeling, this pretenSe of indifference OBJ |
viously the only two ways in which il can be |
treated on the stage are either the cynical or |
the humorous, and accordingly We find that |!
the most successful modern plays are those |
in which one or the other of these elements |
prevail -Contemporary Review
Death Among the Poor.
One OF the most widely discussed OF recent |
statistical statements is a paper by Mr. /
EurouhrnVS before the Po-al Statistical Il